Your diet: 17 tips for shedding pounds faster

Juanita Ng, Vancouver Sun01.07.2013

If you’re trying to lose a few pounds for spring and things aren’t going well, check out these top dieting tips.Stockbyte
/ Thinkstock

1. Eat nuts.

In a small-scale study, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a hospital in Boston affiliated with Harvard Medical School, found that when subjects ate walnuts at breakfast, they felt more satiated than those who didn't snack on nuts. In fact, the walnuts were so filling that hours later, at lunch time the people in the study reported still feeling full. Source: Cosmopolitan.comCourtesy of Almond Board of California
/ Canwest News Service

3. Ditch see-through food containers.

Outta sight, outta your mouth. That's the conclusion Cornell University scientists drew after observing that subjects ate 70 percent more candy when the sweets were stored in a clear jar versus an opaque one. So keep tempting snacks and anything high-calorie in a nontransparent container or tucked away where you won't see them. Source: Cosmopolitan.comStefanie Fraser
/ The Ottawa Citizen

5. Go to the gym before work.

Research out of a McMaster University study claims the brainpower we use up during a crazy day at work makes us lose the will to do anything else, like yep, exercise. So people who put off working out till the end of the day are much less likely to end up doing it. Source: Cosmopolitan.comPeter J. Thompson
/ National Post

7. Spice up your food with pepper.

Adding a teaspoon of cayenne red pepper to what you eat throughout the day can increase how many calories you burn and quash hunger pangs, specifically for fatty, sugary, and salty foods, according to a brand-new study from Purdue University as reported on Time.com. Source: Cosmopolitan.comDEE HOBSBAWN-SMITH
/ Handout

8. Turn off the TV.

Dining while viewing can make you take in 40 per cent more calories than usual, reports a new study. And texting, driving, or any other distracting activity during a meal can also result in your eating too much. Instead, make each meal something you put on a plate and sit down to, even if you're eating solo. Source: Redbookmag.comJenelle Schneider
/ Vancouver Sun

9. Sculpt three times a week.

Doing five minutes each of pushups, lunges, and squats (in 30-second intervals) will help build and maintain muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be, so you'll torch more calories as you go about your day. Source: Redbookmag.comWayne Leidenfrost
/ Canwest News Service

10. Eat fruit twice a day.

Fruit has no fat and is mostly water, so it'll fill you up while leaving less room on your plate (and in your stomach) for high-cal fare. Don't freak about fruit's carb count — we're talking the good kind of carbohydrates that contain lots of healthy fibre. Source: Redbookmag.comStock image
/ ThinkStock

11. Stay asleep longer.

Getting to bed just 30 minutes earlier and waking up 30 minutes later than you normally do can help you make better food choices, researchers report. Also, when you're well-rested, you're less prone to snacking out of fatigue or stress. Source: Redbookmag.comImage supplied
/ The Ottawa Citizen

12. Swap indoor activities for your usual outdoor ones.

Or at least do some of your workouts out in the cold to boost calorie burn. When the temperature drops, it makes sense that our bodies would inevitably pack on fat for insulation. Except that's not what happens. In fact, our metabolism revs up to keep us warm in colder temperatures, which means we actually burn more calories every day, says Nancy Snyderman, MD, chief medical editor of NBC News and author of the book Diet Myths That Keep Us Fat. So if you're gaining in winter, a change in habits — like exercising less frequently and indulging in comfort foods — is likely to blame. To maintain your weight, try to stick to a balanced diet (even if carbs are all you crave) and your usual exercise routine. Source: Redbookmag.comTed Rhodes
/ Calgary Herald

13. Consider frozen and canned produce.

They can be equally as healthful as — and even more economical than — the fresh stuff. Frozen fruits and vegetables are often flash-frozen straight off the vine, which helps them retain nutrients. And some canned produce is actually more nutritious than the fresh, raw kind, since we absorb antioxidants like the lycopene found in tomatoes and the beta-carotene contained in carrots more easily when they come from veggies that have been cooked. Source: Redbookmag.comPhotos.com
/ canada.com

14. Schedule one day off a week.

You already know that exercise is one of the best things you can do to maintain your weight and boost your overall health, but overdoing it can actually have the opposite effect. ‘Working out seven days a week can weaken our immune system, strain our joints, and tire us out,’ Snyderman says. And if you're exercising with improper form due to fatigue, you'll actually burn fewer calories than if you were exercising correctly, she says. To prevent workout burnout, schedule at least one day off a week, and change things up a bit each day. Source: Redbookmag.comHandout
/ Thinkstock

15. Combat middle-age spread with strength training.

‘Belly fat begins to creep on as we get older, but a bulge is avoidable,’ Snyderman says. Most of that fat isn't gained — it's weight that's shifted due to hormone changes, childbirth, or weakening bones. And you can slow the shift with strength training, according to a study from the National Institutes of Health: Overweight and obese women who lifted weights just twice a week saw a smaller increase in intra-abdominal fat (7 percent over two years) than those who didn't exercise (their intra-abdominal fat went up 21 percent in two years). The sooner you start pumping iron, the easier it is to keep that belly trim down the road. Source: Redbookmag.comShaughn Butts
/ edmontonjournal.com

16. Drink vegetable juice.

Here's a surprising way to supercharge any diet - and your health: Chug a glass of low-sodium vegetable juice every day. In a study of 81 overweight adults at risk for heart disease and diabetes, those who drank at least a cup of low-sodium V8 daily lost four pounds over 12 weeks, while those on the same reduced-fat diet who drank no juice lost one pound. Source: rd.comistock
/ Vancouver Sun

17. Simple 'Till Six.

That's what author Mark Bittman named his diet plan of eating in a mostly vegan fashion during the day - no animal products and no simple carbs - and then eating a reasonable dinner. His focus on consuming plants 'as close to their natural state as possible' will lead to a natural reduction in calories. Source: rd.comFile photo
/ PNG

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.